Why does the truth now lead to hatred, causing people to become enemies of those who share it? A happy life is cherished, and that happiness comes from embracing the truth. Perhaps it's because people love the truth only when it aligns with what they already cherish. They want to believe they are right and resist being shown otherwise. This is why they hate the truth—it threatens what they love more than the truth itself. They appreciate the truth when it enlightens them but despise it when it points out their faults. They want to avoid being deceived, yet they often deceive themselves. They love the truth when it reveals something positive, but they hate it when it exposes their flaws.

— St. Augustine, Confessions, Book X, Chapter XXIII

#culture #quotes #theology

Hear my voice, O God, in my meditation; Preserve my life from fear of the enemy. Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, From the rebellion of the workers of iniquity, Who sharpen their tongue like a sword, And bend their bows to shoot their arrows—bitter words, That they may shoot in secret at the blameless; Suddenly they shoot at him and do not fear. They encourage themselves in an evil matter; They talk of laying snares secretly; They say, “Who will see them?” They devise iniquities: “We have perfected a shrewd scheme.” Both the inward thought and the heart of man are deep. But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; Suddenly they shall be wounded. So He will make them stumble over their own tongue; All who see them shall flee away. All men shall fear, And shall declare the work of God; For they shall wisely consider His doing. The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and trust in Him. And all the upright in heart shall glory.

— Psalm 64 (NKJV)

This Psalm is perfect in light of the last few weeks' news—assassinations, murders, shootings, terror anniversaries, and the like. It needs no additional commentary. Re-read it. Pray. Trust in the Lord. Be ready.

Note: If you're not regularly reading through the Psalter, now is a great time to start. This was one of the Psalms for today using the traditional 30-day reading plan from the Book of Common Prayer and widely available online.

#culture #life #psalms

In today's world, the art of listening seems to be under threat. Social media has trained us to believe that what matters most is what we have to say. We're talking more than ever, broadcasting our thoughts to the world with every post, tweet, and status update. But in this cacophony of voices, it often seems like nobody is truly hearing each other.

We've become so focused on crafting our next response, our next witty comment, that we've forgotten how to listen. We skim, we scan, we scroll, but we rarely stop to absorb and consider what others are saying. We're more connected than ever, yet in many ways, we're more isolated, trapped in echo chambers of our own making.

This is why the skill of listening—real, active, engaged listening—is more crucial than ever. It's a skill that can set you apart in a world where everyone is clamoring to be heard. It's a skill that can open doors, build relationships, and lead to insights and opportunities that you might otherwise miss.

-George Raveling, What You're Made For: Powerful Life Lessons from My Career in Sports (H/T: A Layman's Blog)

#quotes #culture

There is no neutrality between gratitude and ingratitude. Those who are not grateful soon begin to complain of everything.

— Thomas Merton, Thoughts on Solitude

#quotes #culture #theology

On the Destructive Nature of the Left and the Proper Response of the Right

I read an article today that described the fundamental nature of the Left as 'negative,' i.e. opposed to things, typically the historic status quo. I think I would go further than that and say that the Left is fundamentally destructive / de-constructive and characterized by the desire to create disorder (more quickly than entropy disorders things in a fallen world). Over time, the immediate causes will change and adjust, according to the soft spots or easy gains that present themselves to this philosophy. This explains why the cause of the day has shifted from sexual and reproductive 'freedom' to political correctness to LGBTQ-alphabet soup to wokeness to antisemitism to...whatever will come next.

This is very negative, I admit; however, I am not especially charitable about my understanding of the Right as it is currently understood and exemplified.

The Right, it seems to me, is also characteristically 'negative' but in a different way. Instead of being focused on the destruction of the current state of things, the Right generally defines itself by being against the Left. It seems very rare to me, indeed, that anyone on the Right actually puts forth a genuinely positive position that is not a reaction to something the Left has already tried to destroy (e.g. being 'pro-life').

Understood this way, it is clear that the general, 'big picture,' macro drift of a society will NEVER be anything but to the Left. It will always drift leftward over time if the Right is not genuinely FOR ideas but reacts only against the destruction attempted by the Left. The Right, in this paradigm, is also fundamentally negative. Both sides work together to move a society, at greater or lesser speeds over time, toward self-destruction and societal suicide.

This is Satanic and demonic, full stop. If you don't believe me, think back on the just the last two hundred years of world history.

That this view is correct is self-evident if we pause and reflect on the positions currently held by the Right in the United States that are FAR left of positions held by the Left even less than a century ago. Contrast the views of Donald Trump on abortion or same sex marriage with Bill Clinton—who is more to the Left? Compare the theological views of 'conservative' churches today on female clergy or premarital sex with mainline churches of 50 years ago—who is more to the Left?

The Right, as it operates today, is a retardant to leftward motion rather than a genuinely creative or positive agent acting in society. To recover a truly positive influence, the Right must define itself by what it supports and not by what it is against, AND it must stop repeatedly conceding ground and drifting left itself.

Said positively, the Right (i.e. “Conservatives”) must stop trying to conserve things and start trying to recreate and restore them according to the Word of God and His intention for individuals and society.

Instead of the Right being 'conservative' it must be 'restorational.'

We ought not be trying to simply slow down society's movement to the left but restoring God's intended order, beliefs, and practice.

Who is up for such a monumental task? Certainly none of the political class or academia. It must come from God's people individually, who themselves are recreated and restored, and corporately, as the Body of Christ.

It will not come from anywhere else. Indeed, it cannot.

#culture #politics #theology

Aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.

— The Apostle Paul, 1 Thessalonians 4.11-12

Biblical Christianity, properly lived out, has always been counter-cultural, whether in the by-gone days of Christendom or in the nominally-Christian American culture in which many of us grew up. The difference between Christianity lived and the life epitomized, encouraged, and admired by our culture, however, has never been greater than it is today. While Scripture clearly does not call us to a life of isolated quietism, it also does not permit us to get dragged (or drag ourselves) into the swap that describes most of our culture and the ways in which we interact with it.

We would do well to reflect on what a disentangled life characterized by quiet, intentional labor would look life and how we can live that out in the midst of the bitter clamor and true laziness that describe so much of our culture.

#culture #life

link: Vicious Talk

If we can be certain of anything in these uncertain times, it is that nearly every modicum of civility, maturity, and decency in our American culture has evaporated more quickly than dew in the southeast Texas summer.

Presidents are no longer remotely presidential (this is not novel with the current administration). Successful businessmen talk to and about others in ways that would've gotten our mouths washed out with soap as children. And everyday average people treat others online in ways that ought to make them utterly ashamed of their vitriol and immaturity.

None of this is news, but it should concern us. It should be especially concerning to Christians, who are by no means above the fray or immune to the temptations of unleashing childish diatribes against others online and in person. What ever happened to the civilized part of our civilization?

Anthony Esolen has written a great piece lamenting this reality. As one on the right side of the political, theological, and cultural spectrum, he does not mind taking aim first at his own. He writes:

That most of the spitefulness is aimed by the left against the right is no comfort for the conservative, because quite enough of it goes the other way, and the general effect is the same. It will do you no spiritual good, and it is unlikely to achieve even a worldly purpose, to be pleased to find that your opponent, who may be to blame for falsehood or cowardice or outright wickedness, has justified your low opinion, and to make that pleasure evident to everyone. It is not a love of truth. It is a love of falsehood in others. One sign of it is the disappointment you feel when you learn that someone is innocent of the sin you had attributed to him.

The rest of his piece, which quotes largely from 19th century Italian author Alessandro Manzoni, shows us that our current state is neither unique to our day nor new in its ugliness.

It is definitely worth a thoughtful read.

#links #culture #theology

Liberals take positions that make them look good and feel good – and show little interest in actual consequences for others, even when liberal policies are leaving havoc in their wake.

— Thomas Sowell

Note: As an economist, Dr. Sowell is doubtless thinking about political and economic positions; however, the same is plainly true for theology.

#quotes #culture #theology

I have come to think that care of the soul requires a high degree of resistance to the culture around us, simply because that culture is dedicated to values that have no concern for the soul.

— Thomas Merton, Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander

Note: While there are many things I do not see eye-to-eye with Merton on, this observation is right on the money.

#quotes #culture #theology